Related Media

Published: Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 5:02 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 5:02 a.m.

LAKELAND | Famed architect Santiago Calatrava may have fallen from grace with some in his native Spain, but in Lakeland — where the Florida Polytechnic University inaugural building he designed is under construction — people still talk about him like he's a rock star.

"A Star Architect Leaves Some Clients Fuming," says the headline in a story published Wednesday in the New York Times.

Details about his work on Valencia's riverbed complex, called the City of Arts and Sciences, tell of a project with cost overruns and structural problems. The article said interviews with other architects, academics and builders found Calatrava is "amassing an unusually long list of projects marred by cost overruns, delays and litigation."

The $100 million project here, however, has gone smoothly, according to those involved in it.

"We've had only a positive experience with Santiago," said contractor Pete Karamitsanis, president of Lighthouse Advisors Inc. "We haven't had any cost overruns, and our project is on schedule."

The building was planned by University of South Florida Polytechnic leaders who approved Calatrava's $13 million fee to design the modernistic structure, which sits near the eastern intersection of Interstate 4 and the Polk Parkway in northeastern Lakeland.

USF Poly no longer exists; the project was inherited by Florida Poly when the state's 12th university was created by legislation last year.

Called the Innovation, Science and Technology Building, the 160,000-square-foot structure will feature classrooms, auditoriums, meeting rooms, research and teaching labs and study areas.

Ava Parker, chief operating officers for Florida Poly, said there have been no issues with the architect.

"Dr. Calatrava continues to have an excellent working relationship. He understands our vision and our budget, and we're very happy with the status of our first building" she said.

The building should be completed in June, and classes are scheduled to start in August.

[ Mary Toothman can be reached at mary.toothman@theledger.com or 863-802-7512. Her Twitter feed is @MaryToothman.]

<p>LAKELAND | Famed architect Santiago Calatrava may have fallen from grace with some in his native Spain, but in Lakeland — where the Florida Polytechnic University inaugural building he designed is under construction — people still talk about him like he's a rock star.</p><p>"A Star Architect Leaves Some Clients Fuming," says the headline in a <a href="http://www.theledger.com/article/20130925/NEWS/130929483&tc=ix"><b>story</b></a> published Wednesday in the New York Times. </p><p>Details about his work on Valencia's riverbed complex, called the City of Arts and Sciences, tell of a project with cost overruns and structural problems. The article said interviews with other architects, academics and builders found Calatrava is "amassing an unusually long list of projects marred by cost overruns, delays and litigation."</p><p>The $100 million project here, however, has gone smoothly, according to those involved in it.</p><p>"We've had only a positive experience with Santiago," said contractor Pete Karamitsanis, president of Lighthouse Advisors Inc. "We haven't had any cost overruns, and our project is on schedule."</p><p>The building was planned by University of South Florida Polytechnic leaders who approved Calatrava's $13 million fee to design the modernistic structure, which sits near the eastern intersection of Interstate 4 and the Polk Parkway in northeastern Lakeland. </p><p>USF Poly no longer exists; the project was inherited by Florida Poly when the state's 12th university was created by legislation last year.</p><p>Called the Innovation, Science and Technology Building, the 160,000-square-foot structure will feature classrooms, auditoriums, meeting rooms, research and teaching labs and study areas.</p><p>Ava Parker, chief operating officers for Florida Poly, said there have been no issues with the architect. </p><p>"Dr. Calatrava continues to have an excellent working relationship. He understands our vision and our budget, and we're very happy with the status of our first building" she said.</p><p>The building should be completed in June, and classes are scheduled to start in August.</p><p>[ Mary Toothman can be reached at mary.toothman@theledger.com or 863-802-7512. Her Twitter feed is @MaryToothman.]</p>